Insights

TL;DR: Key steps to regain your Dynamics 365 CRM’s original purpose

To restore your Microsoft Dynamics 365 CRM’s identity, first consider why you originally implemented Dynamics 365 and its intended purpose for your organisation. Question if that’s still what you want it to be and why it’s still in place. Then assess whether your CRM data supports that goal; if not, collaborate with a CRM partner to remove the data that doesn’t support your goals and simplify the system for improved usability and effectiveness in managing your customer relationships – restoring your system to support great customer relationships and success for your organisation.

Why do new CRM implementations inspire optimism?

Launching a new CRM system brings optimism and a vision of seamless customer relationships. Microsoft Dynamics 365 is designed to help organisations become truly customer-centric, supporting teams to deliver outstanding service and outcomes through CRM.

It’s an extremely powerful and flexible technology, but as the saying goes “with great power comes great responsibility!”.

Unless organisations take responsibility for the stewardship of their systems, they can lose their way over time. However, it often just requires a few simple refinements to get the system back on track and restore your CRM to its former glory…

Why do many established Dynamics 365 CRM systems become ineffective over time?

Over time, many Dynamics 365 systems become cluttered and confusing. Users experience frustration and uncertainty, and the system’s original purpose can fade.

Nick Murdock, Senior Technical Architect at Chorus, explains:

Common challenges with long-established Dynamics 365 CRM systems:

• Systems becomes overloaded with data and processes that don’t serve their intended relationship management purpose.
• Users are unsure what the CRM is for or how to use it effectively.
• Knowledge is lost as people leave and join, making the system harder to manage.
• Inconsistent usage by different individuals can result in varied processes and incomplete data.
• When systems are poorly managed, they tend to expand unchecked, accumulating poor-quality data and becoming even more difficult to oversee effectively.

Key steps to restore your Dynamics 365 CRM’s identity and purpose:

1. Clarify your CRM’s intended purpose

Revisit why you implemented Dynamics 365 in the first place. Focus on relationship management and the outcomes you wanted to achieve. Who were you trying to serve and why?

2. Confirm your intentions for the system going forward

Consider if those reasons are still the case. Take a step back and determine what you want it to be going forward.

3. Look at your data

Look at the data in your system and ask yourself how it’s serving your intended audience. If it’s not, and you’re using the system for something else that it wasn’t intended for originally, consider if it needs to be done in this system or if you could start carving out bits and simplifying.

Also consider if the data just needs better maintenance, such as cleaning up your data or bulk deletion of redundant information in line with data retention best practices.

4. Simplify the system (with expert guidance)

Then you can determine if you want to remove unnecessary features, data, and processes that don’t align with your goals, keeping the system focused on what matters most to your organisation and the audience you’re using the system to serve. If you haven’t been adhering to Application Lifecycle Management (ALM) best practices (governance around your development processes), this is also the time to realign this – ensuring any changes are always pushed through your different environments of development, test and into production.

We always recommend working with a partner to make system changes and avoid unintended consequences, realign ALM processes, as well to provide a fresh impartial perspective to challenge you and provide new ideas.

How to renew confidence and results with your Dynamics 365 CRM system

If your system is no longer working for your organisation, it might need some attention and TLC.

With a clear renewed purpose and a simplified system, your Microsoft Dynamics 365 system can once again support great relationships and help your organisation thrive with increased confidence and performance.

Reach out to an expert Dynamics 365 partner to guide you through the process, making it easy to get back on track and restore confidence in your CRM system.